


In Semblance Reposing

by sciencebluefeelings



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Best Friends, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery, M/M, Protectnoblade
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 05:21:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28843770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sciencebluefeelings/pseuds/sciencebluefeelings
Summary: The fall of L’Manberg was loud, showy and unequivocal, but the aftermath is quiet.
Relationships: Technoblade/Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF)
Comments: 21
Kudos: 252





	In Semblance Reposing

“Phil, where are you?”

“Right next to you,” Phil calls to Techno. Phil lands with a thud on the precarious ledge where Techno is standing, and Techno immediately grips Phil’s hand. The grit of dirt and rubble chafes between their skin.

“Let’s get out of here.” Phil follows Techno as they run in the opposite direction of the brand new gaping crater in the earth, the ruins of a once-immaculate land. Techno could easily outpace Phil with his longer legs that carry him further with each step, but Techno’s hand remains securely around Phil’s as they escape together. The heat of Techno’s hand burns amidst the chilling rain drenching them.

Phil ignores the shouting behind them as they approach open waters. “Trident?” he asks Techno.

Techno brandishes his own enchanted trident and Phil shows his in turn. With synchronized movements, they summon the magic to propel into the air at blinding speed. The water droplets beat against Phil’s face as the ground beneath falls further and further away.

The thrill of destruction, of Techno’s triumph, is still pulsing through Phil’s veins. He laughs aloud freely, tasting the cool rainwater. They’ve escaped, and their revenge is complete. L’Manburg is no more.

Techno has a chronic coughing problem.

Phil had noticed it long before the day they planned to destroy the land that had corrupted and taken the life of Phil’s beloved son. Techno’s coughs are intermittent, deep coughs that resonate through his chest. Phil had asked at least twice about the painful sounding noises, but Techno had downplayed his condition. He said he was trying different concoctions to ease the symptoms, but Phil hasn’t noticed any change at all.

Techno’s coughs right now are hacking, ugly coughs that are increasing in severity and frequency. Phil’s concern grows as they navigate the vast tundra back to Techno’s remote cabin, the familiar smoke of the chimney curling up to meet the cloudless blue sky.

Techno closes the door behind them. Without pausing to remove his armor, Phil grabs Techno by the shoulders. “Tell me what’s going on.”

Techno looks close to breaking away from the confrontational grasp, but he allows Phil to keep him in place. “The soul sand. I think I breathed some in.”

Phil bites his lip. “Shit, Techno.” They had needed the silky dark brown silt to summon withers to aid them in battle. It would normally be catastrophic to summon even one of those destructive beasts, but Techno had spawned dozens of them. It isn’t surprising that Techno had ended up breathing in some of the fine dust in the process.

Techno moves to remove his armor, his hands steady despite the coughing. There are several dents in the netherite, and a large chip is missing from one of his shin guards.

“Philza?” Phil startles at hearing his name. He looks up to see Techno’s concerned gaze focused on him. Phil had been so focused on Techno, he hasn’t moved an inch. Phil is slowly becoming more aware of his surroundings, specifically of the ringing silence enveloping them. There are no more explosions, no screeching of withers or clanging of swords and axes. Techno’s hounds had been lost in battle. Their barks and howls are noticeably absent from the empty house. The silence is claustrophobic like water.

“You want to clean up first?” Techno offers.

“Oh. Oh yeah, sure.” Phil hastily begins removing his armor, struggling with the straps.

He nearly trips over his own feet removing his boots, and Techno has to step in to keep Phil from tipping over. “I keep telling you, there’s no rush,” Techno says with an amused chuckle.

“There’s only one bathroom and I don’t want to make you wait long.” Phil stumbles into the bathroom and securely shuts the door.

He can’t help hissing at the spray of water making his wounds sting. All of them are superficial, but there’s a particularly nasty scrape around the skin over his ribcage. The murky water rolling off his body pools at his feet and disappears down the drain. Soon the room is fragrant with the familiar scent of soap made with sweet berries.

While rinsing off, Phil belatedly remembers he had neglected to bring a change of clothes with him. He wraps himself in his broad towel, shaking droplets of water out of his long hair. He opens a cabinet, looking for another towel to drape over his upper body. He pauses upon seeing the carefully stacked loose tunics and undergarments on one side next to the extra soap and toothpaste. Phil can’t help smiling. That was his Techno. Always prepared, always driving himself crazy trying to think ten steps ahead.

Phil dresses and opens the door to find Techno doubled over, his coughs loud and severe. Phil’s stomach drops and he dashes over, but Techno waves him away. “You’ll get dirty again,” he says.

“Fuck that.” Phil keeps his hand soothing over Techno’s back. “Did you drink something yet?”

“Of course I did, Phil, who do you think I am?” Phil glances at the table next to where Techno is sitting and sees the almost empty drinking glass. Techno stands and heads into the bathroom. “I’ll be back soon. Let me help you with your bandages.” Techno gives Phil one last knowing glance before closing the door.

Phil sits on the sturdy bench Techno had been sitting on and stares at the large basket that had been brought. Techno had really gone overboard bringing medical supplies. There are several vials of ointments alongside painkillers and gauze and disinfectants. Phil picks up one of the vials and huffs. “Fire resistance? Really?” Why would there be any need for fire resistance in a first-aid kit?

Phil shrugs off his shirt and begins spreading ointment on the more easily accessible wounds on his hand and legs before picking up one of the bandages. He manages to wrap them with minimal difficulty before turning his attention to the large scrape around his side.

Techno returns right as Phil is in the middle of struggling with the long bandage around his torso. It’s probably snagged on one of the tiny metal clips. “Gonna have to rewrap that,” Techno snorts. “You should’ve waited for me. Come here, Philza Minecraft.”

Phil anticipates Techno sitting next to him. He isn’t prepared for Techno to put his hands on Phil’s hips and haul him closer so that Phil’s back is nearly against Techno’s chest. Phil stifles a surprised gasp.

Phil remains still as Techno scrutinizes the wound. He watches Techno take the ointment again and gently apply it to the harder to reach places on his back. Phil feels the hairs on his bare back prickle from their proximity.

Techno guides Phil to hold the large bandage in place before he wraps it around Phil’s torso in a neat spiral. His arms come back around Phil’s body again to fasten the bandage in place. Techno coughs slightly. “That alright? Not too tight?”

“I’m good, I’m done. Your turn.” Phil forces a cheery smile and rearranges himself to face Techno. His wounds are also mostly superficial, but more numerous than Phil’s. There are several nicks on his fingers that have to be painstakingly wrapped one by one. There’s a really nasty scrape on his shoulder, and another on Techno’s lower back. It’s more difficult to be gentle because Techno keeps coughing and jarring the bandages. Thankfully the coughs seem to be alleviating. Or maybe Techno’s growing tired.

As Phil spreads ointment on a shallow cut under Techno’s chin, Techno keeps his head obediently tilted back. Phil glances up to see Techno’s eyes are closed in a vulnerable, aching display of trust. Phil looks at the healed scar on Techno’s forehead above his left eye. Not for the first time, he silently wishes he could kiss it.

Phil allows his hand to linger a few seconds longer before withdrawing. “That one looks like it doesn’t need a bandage.”

Techno’s gaze is warm. “Thank you, Phil.”

Phil exhales. “Of course, Techno.” For a moment, Techno and Phil simply sit together, not moving. _Now what?_

Techno drapes Phil’s tunic shirt back over his shoulders. “You’re gonna get cold. Want to eat dinner?”

It’s a simple meal, roasted flatbread with brown mushrooms. Phil had expected to be more ravenous after the long battle, but he finds himself without much of an appetite. Techno seems to be the same, because he stands without opting for seconds as usual. “Well - productive day. Destroyed a government, you didn’t die. It’s everything I could’ve asked for. I think I’m going to sleep now.”

Phil hums in agreement. “I’ll be there in a moment.” Phil watches Techno climb the ladder, coughing slightly again. Phil purses his lips in a slight frown before going to the sink and clearing out the bowls they had used. Then he sits in front of the main room’s fireplace. He doesn’t want to fall asleep yet. Without the distraction of Techno, vivid memories of the battle are returning to him. It had been difficult to keep track of where Techno was among the chaos, but Phil remembers pausing for a moment to marvel at the extent of the destruction they had caused.

A chipped anvil rests near the fireplace, catching the flickering firelight. Phil hates looking at it. He wishes Techno would store it again, but he knows why Techno kept it.

It was the anvil that had fallen on Techno’s head, the ploy of the government that was desperate to execute their biggest threat. Phil had watched from his place of house arrest, helpless to do anything. It was only through Techno’s magical relic of regeneration that he had managed to escape death.

The anvil remains in Techno’s house now, a reminder of what the country had done to him in case he were to forget.

Phil finally climbs the ladder to join Techno. They’ve been sharing Techno’s bed because it’s a small cabin and the bed is big enough. Techno is under the covers, trying to suppress his coughs. Phil sits next to Techno and piles more pillows so that Techno’s upper body and head are elevated. “That should help you breathe easier.” Phil adjusts the pillows under Techno until he looks more comfortable. “Did you take your cough medication? Who knows. It might help with the soul sand.”

Techno blinks. “Ah. I thought I’d forgotten something.”

Phil shakes his head and leaves the bed to get a glass of water and the small bottle. Techno drinks both in silence. Phil watches Techno’s labored breathing with an aching heart. “Sleep, Techno.”

Phil keeps an eye on Techno as his breaths even out with deep repose. It’s easy to forget how much younger his friend is, hearing his voice every day and witnessing the extent of his skills and knowledge. In the dim light of their room, Techno looks so much smaller, full of innocence.

Phil presses his head back on his own pillow, drawing the blankets closer to his chin. The sleep is instantaneous and dark as night.

Techno’s never been a morning person, but Phil isn’t expecting him to wake up past noon. He must have been exhausted. “Morning, Techno,” Phil says as Techno stirs awake.

Techno’s gaze slides from Phil to the large basins of water all over the floor and furniture that hadn’t been there before. He stares with bleary eyes. “The heck is all this?” Techno squints at Phil. “How long have you been awake?”

“I’m trying to keep the air humid.” Phil had gathered freshly fallen snow into the basins and melted it over a campfire before bringing them into the warmth of the cabin. “The fireplace dries out all the air and that’s not good for your recovery.”

Techno coughs so hard he can’t speak for a moment. “This was completely unnecessary.”

“Fucking listen to yourself.” Phil shakes his head and grabs another empty basin. “I’m going back out for more snow.” Phil exits the cabin and descends the wooden staircase.

A split second later he hears Techno scream “ _Phil, look out,_ ” and turns in bewilderment to see a blur and the fiery death of a teeny baby zombie. Techno nearly drops his sword from the worst fit of coughs Phil has heard so far. He’s still barefoot in the snow.

Phil wheezes. “Oh, fuck.” He should not be laughing this hard from Techno’s suffering, but his overreaction to the small monster is hilariously endearing every time. “You alright, mate? Can you breathe?”

“Oh my gods,” Techno wheezes. “That was so close, Phil. You almost died.”

“Lucky I have you here to protect me, then,” Phil says lightly. He herds Techno up the stairs and back inside the cabin. “I’m going to bring this water in, and you’re getting plenty of bedrest today.”

Techno clears his throat. “Unfortunately, I have other plans for today.”

Phil grips the basin more tightly. “Oh?”

“Yeah, uh. I need to go back to L’Manburg and save the rest of the hound army.”

Phil scowls. “I have a better idea, Techno. Why don’t you lie down and go back the fuck to sleep?”

“That’s a great idea and all, but Phil, c’mon. I’m perfectly fine. I can do this.”

Phil opens his mouth again, but then he sees the familiar stubborn edge to Techno’s expression. Phil deflates. “Guess nothing I say is going to stop you, huh?”

At least Techno has the decency to look guilty about not prioritizing his health, but he doesn't back down. “It’ll be quick, Philza. I promise.”

Philza figures if they have to do this, they may as well get it done sooner rather than later. And then Techno can rest. “Fine. Let’s go.”

The dogs are scattered about, stranded on the fringes of L’Manburg’s territory. Thankfully their rescue operation goes quickly, but Techno’s cough hasn’t improved at all, being forced to run around and heel his dogs to his side.

It takes even longer to bring all the dogs back and corral them in the nearby house to shelter them from the snow. Phil follows behind a coughing Techno as they go back into the cabin. Phil is frustrated with himself, that he can’t do anything more to help. Wounds can be bandaged, but Techno’s lungs will need to recover from the soul sand on their own.

Techno disappears into the bathroom, complaining about the dank odor of cave pools. He returns freshly washed with bandages removed. He continues to cough as Phil assists in redressing Techno’s wounds and bandaging them again. This time, Phil finishes with wrapping the bandages around Techno’s hands.

It’s not the first time Phil’s been able to hold Techno’s hands and observe them in great detail, but it might be the longest. The wounds are already healing well, the healing time expedited by the potions used on them. Phil makes sure each nick and scrape is disinfected and secures the bandages around his fingers. Phil sneaks a look at Techno’s expression out of the corner of his eye and sees Techno focused on his face. The expression is difficult to interpret, but it looks as if he is looking through Phil somehow. Like he can see down to his very soul.

Phil returns his attention to Techno’s broad hands. Hands with the capability to bring down entire nations. Hands that can kill without even wielding any weapons, yet they are nothing but gentle in Phil’s grasp. Only for him.

When would be the next time Phil could hold Techno’s hands like this? He’s been terrified of destroying what they already had together, but when Techno tries to move his hand, Phil grips his fingers, preventing him from moving away. Phil might burst if he doesn’t express how he feels at this very moment.

He interlocks his hands with Techno’s and brings them up to kiss the back of Techno’s hand. The skin is slightly cooler against Phil’s lips. Phil then moves to graze his lips against Techno’s knuckles, feeling the texture of the skin there.

Techno’s voice wavers. “Philza.”

Phil presses the back of Techno’s hand to his cheek and dares to make eye contact with Techno. His dark eyes are wide with uncertainty and a cautious hope. Phil’s voice sounds fragile to his own ears. “Techno.”

Techno slowly returns Phil’s gesture, tugging their hands to his face and pressing slightly chapped lips to the knuckle of Phil’s index finger, then his thumb. Then Techno leans closer still, and Phil squeezes his eyes shut as he feels those lips rest over a pulse point. They remain there, not moving away.

Phil exhales shakily as Techno withdraws while clearing his throat. His cheeks are flushed, but he doesn’t look away from Phil. Phil reaches up, stroking back stray strands of hair clinging to Techno’s forehead, fingers wandering to that scar over his eye. As Phil’s hand slides to Techno’s cheek, Techno’s eyes close slightly as he gravitates towards Phil’s touch. It makes Phil feel like he’s shattering into a million pieces.

Phil caves to the temptation to draw Techno's face closer to his and kiss the scar. He brushes at Techno’s cheek with his thumb and takes Techno’s hand in his again. “Come to bed.”

Techno resists. “You’re not getting in bed until you’ve showered the cave smell off, old man.”

Phil laughs. “Fine, fine, I’ll shower and then we’ll cuddle. Deal?” Judging from the satisfied hum, Techno likes that idea.

Once Phil is finished showering, he hastily reapplies ointment to the one injury on his leg. The other wounds have already scabbed over and don’t need bandages. Phil locates Techno’s medication for his cough and some water, and he climbs up to the bed.

Techno is already almost half-asleep, reclining on his numerous pillows. He gratefully accepts the medication from Phil, and once he’s finished taking it Phil scoots next to him, pressing the length of his body against Techno’s. Phil lies down and Techno presses his head to Phil’s shoulder, bringing one of his arms over Phil’s torso. When Techno sighs, it feels like he is melting even further into Phil’s body.

Phil can hear the rescued dogs snuffling and barking to one another in the background. The low bubble of brewing potions downstairs isn’t loud enough to obscure the subtle outdoor ambiance and hum of various other creatures crawling about as day turns to dusk.

Phil nuzzles his nose into Techno’s hair, and feels Techno tighten his embrace in response. His breaths are still slightly raspy, but they sound so much better than before.


End file.
